| Business sustainability movements strive for zero | | | | the initiative. The first step to launching a |
| waste, which is when businesses do not produce any | | | | company-wide initiative is to introduce the concept of |
| solid waste (garbage), hazardous and eWaste, as well | | | | zero waste to management, particularly those in |
| as emissions. While the zero waste system may | | | | charge of making environmental decisions. Employees |
| seem to be a radical movement, its fundamental | | | | and other management should not be aware of the |
| principles help maximize resource efficiency within | | | | initiative until company executives approve it. |
| organizations. In the zero waste system, every | | | | Once management approves the business |
| resource within your company has a dedicated | | | | sustainability initiatives, develop a team of dedicated |
| purpose, including the waste, which is produced as a | | | | employees throughout the organization. Once the |
| result have the manufacturing or operational process. | | | | committee is staffed, schedule a launch meeting to |
| In terms of business sustainability, zero waste is the | | | | kick off the project. The first meeting establishes the |
| ultimate goal, in that the organization is | | | | mission statement, purpose of the project, and |
| self-sustainable. | | | | reinforces the company's commitment to reducing |
| The typical American manufacturing plant takes more | | | | waste. Review the documents, rules, and policies |
| than it produces, as it utilizes energy and materials to | | | | provided by management, designate roles, review |
| create a product that becomes waste in a set period | | | | time commitments, and provide an overview of |
| of time. Additionally, manufacturers almost always | | | | business sustainability. |
| order more materials than they need, which expire | | | | Collaboration and brainstorming are essential elements |
| and become waste. For example, if a company | | | | of a successful business sustainability plan. Develop a |
| produces boxes of cookies, the packaging of the | | | | list of waste categories that your organization needs |
| product enters landfills once the product is consumed. | | | | to target. Do not limit the number of ideas, however; |
| A successful zero waste program captures the | | | | once the brainstorming is complete vote on the top |
| waste and puts it to use, rather than having it pollute | | | | ten categories. Rate the categories in order of |
| the environment. | | | | importance and disseminate the results to committee |
| America's waste problem is most noticeable in the | | | | members for future reference. Next, identify the |
| packaging of consumer edibles that come in | | | | sources of waste within the organization followed by |
| disposable containers. While the product may have a | | | | real life examples of each. Communicate the results |
| shelf life of three months, the packaging takes | | | | of the initial investigation with business sustainability |
| thousands of years to biodegrade. The problem is a | | | | executives and employees affected by the findings. |
| growing concern given the mass amount of | | | | To achieve zero waste one must identify how much |
| pre-packaged foods Americans purchase each year. | | | | waste exists in the organization prior to the initiative. |
| In a zero waste system products have longer shelf | | | | Work with company executives and waste |
| lives and the packaging is either reusable or | | | | management officials to determine the amount of |
| biodegradable. | | | | waste created in each of the categories drafted |
| Profitability of Business Sustainability | | | | previously. Additionally, break down the waste by |
| Business sustainability and zero waste measures are | | | | type, providing a preliminary business sustainability |
| good for the environment and offer substantial | | | | report for management. Consider using visual aids |
| financial incentives. Source reduction is at the root of | | | | such as pie charts and bar graphs to display your |
| the zero waste initiative, which is the money a | | | | results. |
| company saves by minimizing waste in the | | | | Review the results in committee, identifying the |
| organization. Waste is an expensive byproduct as it is | | | | categories producing the most waste. Focus on the |
| expensive to produce and sometimes equally | | | | top grossing waste categories by producing a list of |
| expensive to discard. Zero waste is lucrative and | | | | questions to ask appropriate shareholders. Consider |
| sparks innovation within an organization, achieving | | | | who has the information you need to know and how |
| results that far surpass similar prevention or reduction | | | | you can communicate effectively with that person. |
| programs. | | | | The questions and answers serve as the basis for |
| Successful corporations such as Hewlett Packard, | | | | the business sustainability investigation. |
| Xerox, and Interface saved millions of dollars by | | | | Once the priority groups have been defined, begin to |
| implementing a zero waste initiative. For example, | | | | brainstorm business sustainability and waste reduction |
| Interface, a carpet manufacturer, successfully saved | | | | strategies used to increase business sustainability. |
| $165 million in waste by recycling carpet - turning old | | | | Vote on the top three strategies that reduce the |
| carpet into new flooring, which reduced the amount | | | | most waste while increasing profitability. Research |
| of oil they required. Additionally, their factory was | | | | and flush out the strategies, bringing the results to |
| partially powered by solar energy. Xerox, one of the | | | | management. Identify the best strategy with |
| world's top-grossing copier firms, saved $2 billion by | | | | management. |
| reusing printer and copier parts in new machines. | | | | The business sustainability steering committee is |
| Additionally, HP saved $800,000 by using reusable | | | | responsible for the execution of the project. Create |
| pallets for the transportation of its products. | | | | an overall objective for the project, followed by |
| Implementing a Zero Waste Initiative | | | | specific roles and responsibilities of each committee |
| The cost savings and environmental benefits of the | | | | member. Create a step-by-step plan identifying what |
| zero waste initiative outweigh the upfront capital and | | | | will be completed, by whom, when, and at what cost. |
| human resources it takes to launch such a program. | | | | Provide a list of resources and an acceptable |
| The process of reaching zero waste takes several | | | | timetable. Execute the steps and review the project |
| months to complete, with most organizations seeing | | | | results with appropriate shareholders. Once the |
| viable results after the first year. The hands-on | | | | project is complete, tackle the remaining strategies |
| process involves every member of the organization, | | | | until zero waste and business sustainability is |
| with a core team or steering committee overseeing | | | | achieved. |